Hydraulically operated earth boring tools



April 1969 J. c. FAILING 3,438,450

HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED EARTH BORING TOOLS Filed Feb. 24, 1967 Sheet 5r 4 /6 1a 22 23 r 30 22 17 3O 2 30 23 dM 030/ A P I 30 I I l I V U Ill ll I I 1z INVENTOR.

52 a A 49 60 48 JAY c. FAIL/N6 5 E 47 49 BY ,E 45 W R A TTORNEV HYDRAULIC/ALLY OPERATED EARTH BORING TOOLS Filed Feb. 24, 1967 Sheet 2 of 4 IIIIII z/ 27 10 INVENTOR.

JAY c. FA/L/NG BY V WKEM A T TORNEV a 15, 1969 J. cv FAlLlNG HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED EARTH BORING TOOLS Sheet Filed Feb. 24, 1367 INVENTOR JAY C. FA/L/NG A T TORNEV United States Patent 0,

US. Cl. 17344 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vehicle mounted earth boring apparatus adapted to drill at any angle between the horizontal and vertical and closely adjacent the support for the same. It is mounted 'on a rigid frame fixed on the vehicle and has a pair of transversely spaced hearings on it in which stub shafts are mounted that pivotly connect elongated side members of a cradle with the rigid frame. The cradle also has a pair of cross members and a hydraulic cylinder is mounted between a cross member on the cradle and a cross member on a mast, for adjusting the position of the mast lengthwise of the cradle. The mast has transversely spaced longitudinal frame members that are slidably connected with the longitudinal members of the cradle, there being interengaging guide flanges on the longitudinal cradle members and the longitudinal frame members of the mast. The angular position of the cradle about the pivot members connecting it with the rigid frame members is adjusted by hydraulic cylinders extending between the cradle and the supporting vehicle. The mast is provided with a mounting for a drill and drive means for the drill that is movable lengthwise of the mast by means of hydraulic cylinders. The particular drive for the drill disclosed is a kelly held against endwise movement relative to the mast and driving means between the kelly and a drive sleeve connecting With the string of drill pipe. The mounting for the drive sleeve and its string of drill pipe is adjustable lengthwise of the mast by means of hydraulic cylinders which are incorporated in the mast and mounting for the drive sleeve.

My invention relates to earth boring tools and more particularly to a hydraulically operated earth boring tool.

My invention is an improvement over the invention disclosed in the patent of Jay C. Failing, No. 3,228,487, patented J an. 11, 1966, on Hydraulically Operated Earth Boring Tools. It applies particularly to earth boring tools utilizing a driving means in which a drive sleeve is provided that is mounted on a suitable supporting member movable up and down along the mast of the drilling apparatus.

In the present invention, I not only provide hydraulic means for moving such a supporting member longitudinally of, or up and down, a mast of a drilling apparatus, but provide hydraulic means for positioning the mast in any desired angular position with respect to the supporting means upon which the mast is mounted. The supporting means is ordinarily a vehicle upon which the apparatus is mounted. The mounting of my improved hydraulically operated earth boring apparatus with respect to the vehicle is such, that it can be mounted so that the mast will extend at any angle with respect to the vehicle from a horizontal to a vertical position, and is mounted so as to be it closely adjacent the supporting means, such as the vehicle, when it is in any of the positions thereof that approach the vertical.

My improved mounting of the mast with respect to the vehicle is of such a character that the lower end of the mast is adapted to be in close proximity to the ground or other surface upon which the support for the mast, such as a vehicle, is mounted.

More specifically, my invention comprises a cradle mounted on the support to turn about a horizontal axis, means for mounting the cradle so that it can be adjusted to any desired angular position with respect to the support, said means being hydraulically operated, and means for mounting the mast for movement longitudinally of itself on the cradle, the position of the mast with respect to the cradle, being controlled by hydraulic means.

In order to provide for a secure mounting of the mast on the cradle, interengaging means are provided on the mast and the cradle 'for slidably mounting the mast on the cradle for guided movement thereof on said cradle, said means comprising flanged guide members on the cradle and on the mast that have the flanges thereon interengaging.

.The hydraulic means that controls the position of the cradle, is pivotally connected at one end thereof with the cradle and at the other end thereof with the supporting means such as the vehicle, while the hydraulic means for locating the mast with respect to the cradle, lengthwise of the mast, comprises hydraulic means mounted between the cradle and the mast which is provided with links flexibly connecting the opposite ends of the hydraulic means with the mast and the cradle.

SUMMARY It is the principal object of my invention to provide in earth boring apparatus a support upon which a cradle is mounted to turn about a horizontal axis that is fixed relative to the support, a mast, drilling means mounted on the mast, means on the cradle for mounting the mast for movement longitudinally itself on the cradle by a guided sliding connection, and hydraulic means for moving'the mast lengthwise of itself with respect to the cradle. Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved hydraulic earth boring means mounted in inoperative position on the vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing my improved earth boring apparatus in position to drill into the earth at an oblique angle, the vehicle upon which the mast is mounted being shown partly broken away.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the position of the mast when drilling horizontally into a hill or similar formation at a position above the vehicle and the support therefor.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the mast in position for drilling vertically into the earth.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scale showing the mounting of the cradle, the operating means for moving the cradle about its pivotal mounting and a portion of the mast.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section partly broken away taken on the line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing a different position of the parts.

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 4 partly broken away, and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the hydraulic means for moving the drilling means longitudinally of the mast and associated parts.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved hydraulic earth boring apparatus is shown as being mounted on a suitable support such as a vehicle 10, which is provided with a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine 11, which prime mover is suitably connected with a pump 12 for hydraulic fluid to be utilized in operating my drilling apparatus. The pump 12 supplies hydraulic J fluid to a hydraulie motor, such as shown in the patent to Failing, 3,228,487, which is connected with a trans mission 13, that drives the kelly 14, mounted on the mast in such a-manner that it does, not have any endwise movement with respect to said mast. Means is provided for driving the drill pipe 16 upon the end of which the drill bit 17 is provided, such as that shown in said Patent 3,228,487, said driving means for the drill pipe 16 being mounted in the housing 18, which is mounted for move ment longitudinally of the mast 15 for feeding the drill bit 17 into the earth or withdrawing the same therefrom.

The mast 15 is provided with a pair of longitudinally extending tubular frame members 19, constituting a pair of legs of said mast, which extend from and are secured in fixed-position to transverse frame members 20 at one end thereof. Also secured to the transverse frame members 20, in fixed position, are the hydraulic cylinders 21, which form the other pair of the legs of the mast. Suitable bracing means 22 and 23 connect the hydraulic cylinders 21 and the tubular members 19. Transverse frame members 24 are provided at the upper ends of the tubular members 19 and hydraulic cylinders 21 to connect the same. The construction of the frame of the mast is substantially that shown in said Patent No. 3,228,487.

The housing 18 is mounted on a framework that is movable with respect to the mast, longitudinally thereof. Said framework comprises a pair of tubular members 25, which are slotted as at 26, to accommodate the frame members 22 and 23 and the hydraulic fluid conduits 27 and 28 leading into the opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder. The housing 18 is also connected with a pair of longitudinal frame members 29, which are connected with the tubular member by means of diagonally extending bracing members 30 and transverse bracing members 30, that are out of alignment with the bracing unembers 22 and 23 and by means of the transverse bracing means 31 at the upper ends thereof. Thus the housing 18, and the frame upon which it is mounted, are mounted for movement as a unit on the mast, longitudinally thereof.

The means for moving the platform 18 and the movable framework on which it is mounted with respect to the mast is shown more in detail in FIG. 10. A piston 32 having sealing means 33 is provided with a piston rod 34, which has a screw-threaded reduced end portion 35 that is secured in fixed position on the transverse bracing member 31 by means of a nut 36 engaging the screw-threaded end thereof. The upper ends of the tubular members 25 are each provided with an externally v portion 35 joins the main body portion of said piston v rod. A ring 40 embraces the tubular member 25 and is secured in fixed position to the transverse bracing means 31 and to said tubular member by means of welds, as clearly shown in FIG. 10. Thus the upper ends of the tubular members 25 are fixed to the transverse bracing means 31 and thus to the movable framework. Suitable means is provided for obtaining a fiuidtight sliding con nection between each of the hydraulic cylinders and the piston rod 34, at the upper end thereof, comprising a flanged sleeve 41 which slidably receives the piston rod 34 and which is screw-threadedly connected with the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 21. Suitable packing material 42 is provided between said sleeve 41 and an inwardly directed flange 43 on the hydraulic cylinder 21.

It will be obvious that when the hydraulic fluid is supplied through the conduit 27 to the hydraulic cylinder 21 the piston, and thus the frame upon which the housing 18 is mounted. will move upwardly with respect to the mast, and when hydraulic fluid is introduced through the conduit 28 the reverse movement of the housing 18 and the drilling means carried thereby will take place. Hydraulic means is thus provided for moving the driving means for the drilling means lengthwise of the mast, the means for moving said drilling means and its driving means lengthwise of the mast, being substantially the same as that shown in the patent to Failing, No. 3,228,487.

The mounting for the mast on a support, such as the vehicle 19, comprises a frame mounted in fixed position on said vehicle having the vertically extending members 45 and the obliquely extending members 46. Said frame is provided with hearing members 47 that have the shafts 48 mounted therein, which are provided with collars 49 on the outer ends thereof that engage with the outer sides of the longitudinal members 50 of a cradle. Said shafts 48 pivotally mount said longitudinal members 50 on the frame having the members 45 and 46. The longitudinal members 50 taper from their pivotal mounting toward the opposite ends thereof, as will be obvious from FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive. Said longitudinal frame members 50 of said cradle are preferably of a box-like character in cross section and terminate in inwardly directed longitudinal flanges 51. The longitudinally extending members 50 also each have a channel member 52 mounted therein with its web portion extending in spaced relation to the inwardly directed flanges 51 and with its flanges secured to the side walls of the box-like longitudinally extending members 51). A guide slot is thus formed between the web portion 52 and the inwardly directed flanges 51 on the box-like body portion of the longitudinal members of the cradle. (See FIG. 6.) The frame members 19 have a tubular body portion 67 from which a web portion 68 extends to the flange 69 which fits slidably between the flanges 51 and the web portion 52.

The longitudinal members 50 are connected at their opposite ends by means of transverse angle members 53 to form a rectangular frame and a transverse member 54 is also provided extending between and secured to said longitudinally extending members 50 of the cradle. The member 54 is circular in cross section as will be obvious from FIG. 5.

The position of the cradle about the pivot members 48, is determined by means of hydraulic cylinders 55 from which the piston rods 56 extend to pivot members 57, which are mounted in the ears 58 provided on the longitudinally extending members 50. The hydraulic cylinders 55 are each pivotally mounted on the vehicle 10 at the end thereof opposite that from which the piston rod 56 extends. It is accordingly possible, by controlling the supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders 55, to vary the position of the cradle between a horizontal position thereof such as that shown in FIG. 1 and the vertical position thereof shown in FIG. 4, and to any angular position between said horizontal and vertical positions.

A transverse member 59, circular in cross section, extends between the angle members 20, being fixed to the tubular members 19 at opposite ends of said member 59. A hydraulic cylinder 60, having the piston rod 61 extending therefrom, is mounted between the mast and the cradle, a link 62 being pivotally connected with an ear 63 extending endwise from the hydraulic cylinder and with the transverse member 54. A link 64 is pivotally connected with the end of the piston rod 61 and with the transverse member 59. It will accordingly be seen that the hydraulic cylinder and its piston rod are flexibly connected with the mast and with the cradle at opposite ends thereof. Conduits 65 and 66 lead from a suitable source of hydraulic fluid, such as the pump 12, to opposite ends of the hydraulic cylinder 60. By supplying hydraulic fluid to either the end of the cylinder having the conduit 65 connected therewith or the ,end of the cylinder having the conduit 66 connected therewith, the position of the piston connected with the piston rod 61 can be determined, and thus the position of the mast With respect to the cradle, longitudinally of the mast, can be determined by supplying hydraulic fluid as desired through either the conduit 65 or 66 to said hydraulic cylinder.

Thus the position of the mast with respect to the vehicle 10, and with respect to the ground, can be determined by varying the angular position of the cradle 50, by means of the hydraulic cylinders 55, and by varying the position of the mast on the cradle, by means of the hydraulic cylinder 60, so that either a horizontal or a vertical position or any oblique angular position between said horizontal and vertical positions of the mast can be obtained and the mast can be adjusted so that its lower end will be in close proximity to the surface of the earth into which the drill is to be driven no matter at what angular position the mast may be when such drilling operation is undertaken.

What I claim is:

1. In earth boring apparatus a support, an upstanding frame mounted in fixed position on said support, a cradle comprising a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending elongated frame members and transversely extending elongated longitudinally spaced frame members having their ends rigidly connected with said longitudinally extending. frame members to form an open frame, means for mounting said cradle on said upstanding frame to pivot about a horizontal axis fixed with respect to said upstanding frame, said longitudinally extending frame members and said support, means extending between said support and said cradle to swing said cradle about said axis, a mast, drilling means mounted on said mast, means on said mast and longitudinal frame members for mounting said mast for guided movement longitudinally of said mast on said cradle, and means for moving said mast longitudinally of itself relative to said cradle.

2. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 a framework mounted on said mast for movement longitudinally of said mast and driving means for said drilling means mounted on said framework for movement therewith.

3. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 the means for mounting said cradle on said upstanding frame including bearing members mounted in fixed position on said upstanding frame, and a shaft mounted on each of said longitudinally extending frame members, each of said shafts engaging in one of said bearing members.

4. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending legs on said mast, the mounting for said mast including guide flanges on said legs extending through the major portion of the length thereof and transversely spaced flanges on said longitudinally extending frame members extending through the major portion of the length thereof to provide a guide slot between the same for said guide flanges.

5. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 the means for mounting said cradle on said upstanding frame being widely spaced from the ends of said longitudinally extending frame members.

6. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 said means to swing said cradle being hydraulically actuated.

7. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 a cross member on said mast, and said means for moving said mast longitudinally of itself comprising hydraulic means and links pivotally connected with the opposite ends thereof, with said cross member and one of said transversely extending frame members.

8. In the earth boring apparatus claimed in claim 1 one of said transversely extending members extending perpendicularly to said longitudinally extending members at opposite ends thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 17328 

